BIO: Jonah Anthony Bolden was born in Melbourne (VIC) and raised in Sydney (NSW), where he began playing basketball for the Bankstown Bruins at five years of age.

His father, Bruce Bolden, played in the NBL, including for the Sydney Kings between 1995 and 1998.

Bolden attended Homebush Boys High School and represented NSW Metro at the 2013 Australian Under-18 National Championships, where Bolden (18 points and 13 rebounds per game) led his state to the national final.

His performances earned him selection for Australia’s Under-19 team at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in the Czech Republic.

In August 2013, Bolden moved to the United States to attend Findlay College Prep in Henderson, Nevada, before transferring to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire during the school year.

FAMILY:

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jonah Bolden made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 27 years of age. He scored three points in his first game.

After defeating New Zealand in five games to win back-to-back championships, Sydney entered NBL24 attempting to become the first team since its own 2003-05 squad to win three consecutive titles. Reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks (to Washington) and DJ Vasiljevic (to Washington) left to pursue NBA opportunities, while Derrick Walton Jr, Justin Simon and Tim Soares headed overseas and championship coach Chase Buford departed before eventually joining Milwaukee. Jordan Hunter remained as the only returning starter, with G-League championship-winning coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah taking over and adding former NBL MVP Jaylen Adams, DJ Hogg (via Cairns), Denzel Valentine (via Maine), Next Star Alex Toohey and Jonah Bolden.

Bolden signed a one-year deal with Sydney in June, returning to professional basketball for the first time since playing for the Phoenix Suns in 2020. He had stepped away from basketball at 25 to focus on his family and business interests, including cryptocurrency firm Bolden Ventures. Sydney had first explored bringing him to the Kings several years earlier and, after his long absence, put him through multiple workouts, a scrimmage and physical testing before completing the deal. The move also saw Bolden follow his father Bruce, who played for Sydney between 1995 and 1998.

“I’m excited to join the Kings. First and foremost I get to represent the city I grew up in.”

Bolden made his NBL debut against Illawarra at WIN Entertainment Centre on September 30, where Bolden (3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) played 10 minutes off the bench as Sydney won 96-81. Noi (23 points and 4 rebounds) and Adams (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Kings, while Tyler Harvey (19 points and 3 steals) was Illawarra’s leading scorer.

Bolden (8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds across 28 games) spent much of the season working himself back into basketball form after more than three years away from professional competition. Used primarily off the bench behind Hunter, he provided rebounding, size and the ability to stretch the floor, with his impact becoming more consistent as the opening weeks progressed.

Bolden (12 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks) produced his first major all-round performance against Brisbane on October 13, helping Sydney defeat the Bullets 113-102 at Nissan Arena. Adams (26 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Toohey (18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block) led the Kings offensively, while Nathan Sobey (26 points and 7 rebounds) was Brisbane’s best. Bolden was particularly influential during Sydney’s strong second quarter and hit a late three-pointer after Brisbane had reduced the margin to eight.

His best scoring game came at RAC Arena on December 1, where Bolden (28 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) shot 10-of-12 from the field and 7-of-8 from three in just 22 minutes off the bench. Adams (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Hogg (20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) also produced strong games, but Bryce Cotton (41 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) scored 28 points after half-time as Perth defeated Sydney 114-105.

Sydney’s 7-3 start gradually disappeared as the Kings struggled defensively from Round 8 onwards, giving up 100 points on nine occasions. Adams (19.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) led the team in scoring and assists, with Hogg (14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.3 blocks), Valentine (12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists), Hunter (10.3 points and 7 rebounds), Galloway (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals), Noi (10 points and 4.5 rebounds), Toohey (8 points and 4 rebounds) and Glover (5.3 points) filling out the main rotation. Adams was named Kings MVP and Players’ Player, Hunter received Defensive Player of the Year and Members’ MVP honours, while Toohey received the Michael Wrublewski Coaches’ Award.

Sydney entered its final regular-season game needing a win over South East Melbourne to guarantee a place in the post-season, with Bolden (10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) moving into the starting lineup. Hogg (25 points and 7 rebounds) and Adams (24 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney, while Owen Foxwell (16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) was the Phoenix’s leading scorer as the Kings won 122-67. The 55-point margin was the largest victory in Sydney history and by any NBL team during the 40-minute era, with the Kings finishing fifth with a 13-15 record.

Sydney hosted New Zealand in the Play-In Qualifier at Qudos Bank Arena, where Bolden (0 points and 6 rebounds) missed all five of his field goal attempts. Adams (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Hogg (17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Sydney, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (34 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Zylan Cheatham (18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals) led New Zealand to an 83-76 win.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2024/25
New Zealand entered the off-season after finishing sixth with a 13-15 record, defeating Sydney 83-76 in the first play-in game before an 88-85 loss to Illawarra ended its season. Anthony Lamb (to Trento), William McDowell-White (to Berlin), Izayah Le’Afa (to Sydney), Justinian Jessup (to Ulm), Finn Delany (to Shizuoka), Mantas Rubstavicius (to Panevezys), Zylan Cheatham (to Nagoya), Mangok Mathiang (to Ningbo), Dan Fotu and Dom Kelman-Poto exited the team, while Thomas Abercrombie and Cameron Gliddon retired.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Max Darling, Dane Pineau, Carlin Davison and Alex McNaught returned, while head coach Mody Maor (to Nagasaki) was replaced by Petteri Koponen (via Helsinki). Sam Mennenga (via Cairns), Mojave King (via Indiana), Mitch McCarron (via Adelaide), Jonah Bolden (via Sydney), Sean Bairstow (via Richmond), Grant Anticevich (via Gottingen), Freddie Gillespie (via Belgrade), Matt Mooney (via Trento), Karim Lopez (via Badalona) and Kaia Isaac (via Canterbury) were added to the rebuilt roster.

The Breakers were linked with Bolden before NBL25 free agency opened on 15 April 2024, and on 2 May 2024 the club formally confirmed he had signed a one-year contract after returning to professional basketball with Sydney during NBL24. Head coach Mody Maor had identified the versatile former NBA forward as an important addition before later departing the club. “What caused me to want to sign with the Breakers was seeing the culture that had been built over the past few years,” he said.

New Zealand opened the season at HoopsFest in Perth with a 91-87 win over Brisbane, where the new signing (7 points and 6 rebounds) shot 3-of-4 from the field. Mennenga (22 points and 7 rebounds) and Jackson-Cartwright (20 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1 steal) led the Breakers, while Keandre Cook (25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) was Brisbane’s best as New Zealand held on after building a 26-point lead.

Bolden (6 points and 5.8 rebounds across 24 games) started 21 games and provided rebounding and floor spacing in the frontcourt throughout his second season since returning to professional basketball.

In New Zealand’s home opener, Bolden (8 points and 8 rebounds) hit a three-pointer to complete an 11-0 fourth-quarter run against South East Melbourne. Jackson-Cartwright (19 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block), Mooney (15 points and 3 assists) and Mennenga (11 points and 9 rebounds) led the Breakers, while Nathan Sobey (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Matt Hurt (20 points and 4 rebounds) led the Phoenix as New Zealand held on to win 81-79 and opened the season 2-0.

Bolden’s best game of the season came against his former club at Qudos Bank Arena on October 27, where he finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Mooney (24 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Jackson-Cartwright (21 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) led New Zealand, while Le’Afa (23 points) was Sydney’s leading scorer as the short-handed Breakers won 93-89 and improved to 4-2.

Bolden (5 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) then helped New Zealand control the glass against Melbourne at John Cain Arena on November 4. Mennenga (25 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists), Jackson-Cartwright (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Lopez (17 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks) led the Breakers, while Flynn Cameron (20 points) was United’s leading scorer as New Zealand won 113-79 and moved to the top of the ladder with a 6-2 record.

Five days later, Bolden (3 points) suffered an apparent calf injury after playing just under four minutes against Tasmania. Jackson-Cartwright (15 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals) and Mennenga (13 points and 7 rebounds) led New Zealand, while Jordon Crawford (19 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Craig Sword (18 points and 2 steals) and Majok Deng (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the JackJumpers to an 83-64 win.

The calf injury ruled Bolden out against Cairns, Illawarra, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. During his absence, Gillespie (6.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 9 games) requested his release (to Milan), Fall (11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 18 games) joined as his replacement (via Nanjing) and Tai Wynyard (via Shanghai) was added as injury cover, with New Zealand entering the FIBA break sitting second with a 7-3 record.

Bolden returned against Tasmania on December 12 and finished with 3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block in 15 minutes. Fall (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block), Mooney (13 points and 2 steals) and Jackson-Cartwright (11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led New Zealand, while Crawford (24 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Sean MacDonald (17 points and 2 steals) led the JackJumpers to a 100-76 win.

One of Bolden’s strongest performances following his return came against Melbourne on January 13, where he finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Lopez (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals), Mooney (19 points and 8 assists) and Mennenga (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) helped New Zealand move ahead during the final seconds, before Chris Goulding (42 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) made his tenth three-pointer over Bolden with 0.6 seconds remaining to give United a 91-89 win.

Bolden (9 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) produced another strong performance against South East Melbourne on January 18. Lopez (20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Mooney (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) helped New Zealand reduce a 19-point deficit to four, but Sobey (28 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led the Phoenix to a 102-89 win.

Bolden (6 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) remained in the starting lineup against Brisbane in Christchurch on January 24, where Mooney (24 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Jackson-Cartwright (19 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal) led New Zealand. Cook (26 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Casey Prather (24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led the Bullets to a 93-87 win.

Bolden’s best all-around game came in Adelaide two days later, where he recorded his only double-double of the season with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. King (20 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Mooney (14 points and 9 assists) provided support, but Montrezl Harrell (26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks) and Kendric Davis (23 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists, and 2 steals) led the 36ers to a 94-78 win which ended New Zealand’s postseason hopes.

Jackson-Cartwright (18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 21 games) and Mooney (16.1 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 29 games) led New Zealand’s backcourt, while Mennenga (11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds across 29 games), Lopez (9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds across 25 games) and King (8.5 points across 17 games) provided the other main contributions. Jackson-Cartwright won the Breakers’ MVP and Members Choice awards, King was named Defensive Player of the Year and Mennenga’s 29-point and 9-rebound performance against Tasmania was voted the Fans’ Moment of the Year.

Bolden (5 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped New Zealand collect its final victory against Cairns at Spark Arena on February 1. Mooney (24 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals), King (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Fall (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists) led the Breakers, while Sam Waardenburg (16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Pedro Bradshaw (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Cairns as New Zealand won 99-92 and avoided the wooden spoon.

After starting the season 7-3, New Zealand won only three of its final 19 games and finished ninth with a 10-19 record, missing the postseason.

New Zealand closed the season against Illawarra at Spark Arena on February 5, where Bolden (2 points and 4 rebounds) played 14 minutes, Fall (16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) and Lopez (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) led the Breakers, while Tyler Harvey (29 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) led the Hawks as Illawarra won 96-82.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2025/26
After defeating Melbourne in five games to win its first championship in 24 years, Illawarra entered NBL26 as defending champions under coach Justin Tatum. Trey Kell III (to Toyama), Darius Days (to San-en), Lachlan Olbrich (to Chicago) and Hyunjung Lee (to Nagasaki) departed, while Tatum added JaVale McGee (via Bayamón), Jonah Bolden (via Arecibo), Jackson Ball (via Hawke’s Bay), Biwali Bayles (via Nyon), Johny Narkle (via Geraldton) and JaQuori McLaughlin (via Jakarta), with Sam Froling unavailable while recovering from the Achilles injury suffered during the previous Grand Final series.

The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal after spending NBL25 with New Zealand and then playing in Puerto Rico. The former Philadelphia and Phoenix forward joined his third NBL club and was expected to give Illawarra a long and versatile frontcourt beside McGee while Froling remained sidelined.

A foot injury kept him out of the season opener at the WIN Entertainment Centre on September 27, where McGee (32 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Harvey (19 points and 6 assists) led Illawarra, while Bryce Hamilton (21 points and 6 rebounds) was Tasmania’s best as the JackJumpers defeated the Hawks 91-86.

Bolden (4.4 points and 5.5 rebounds across 8 games) appeared only eight times, coming off the bench in his first six games before moving into the starting lineup for his final two appearances.

His best scoring game came against Brisbane at the WIN Entertainment Centre on October 11, where Bolden (11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) made four of six shots as Illawarra collected its first win of the season with a 116-89 victory. Harvey (22 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals) and McGee (13 points and 12 rebounds) led the Hawks, while Casey Prather (28 points) was Brisbane’s leading scorer.

After appearing in only eight games, he sustained an Achilles tendon injury during training over the FIBA break and underwent surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. McLaughlin (7.7 points and 4 assists across 3 games) had already been released following Illawarra’s 0-3 start, with Quentin Peterson (via Xinjiang) signed as his replacement.

McGee (19.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks) and Harvey (16.9 points and 3.6 assists) led Illawarra’s offence, while Peterson (15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), William Hickey (12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists), Froling (11 points and 6.7 rebounds across 15 games), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (8 points), Daniel Grida (6.3 points), Mason Peatling (6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds) and Todd Blanchfield (5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds) were the other main contributors. McGee was named club MVP, Grida received the Most Improved Player and Players’ Player awards, Swaka Lo Buluk was named Defensive Player of the Year and Kobe McDowell-White (1 point across 5 games) collected the Coaches’ Award.

With Bolden sidelined, Illawarra finished eighth with a 13-20 record and missed the postseason by one win. The Hawks closed the season in Hobart on February 18, where Harvey (21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Peterson (20 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Illawarra, while Josh Bannan (17 points and 4 rebounds) was Tasmania’s best as the Hawks defeated the JackJumpers 103-70.

CAIRNS TAIPANS
2026/27
After an Achilles injury ended his season with Illawarra after eight appearances, Bolden signed a one-year deal with Cairns for NBL27. He spent the off-season rehabilitating the injury before joining a Taipans frontcourt featuring Keanu Pinder and Jack McVeigh.

With Adam Forde coaching a rebuilt Taipans roster, Bolden rejoined NBL competition after rehabilitating his Achilles injury. On October 11, 2026, Cairns defeated Illawarra 110–100 in Wollongong, with Bolden recording 13 points and 7 rebounds through three quarters. Jack McVeigh scored 32 points in the win.

Jonah Bolden currently plays for the Cairns Taipans and has played 69 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 7.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1 assists since entering the league in 2023.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Cairns Taipans – 1 Year Deal (2026-27)

HIGHLIGHTS: